Fire in Gotham, Acid Wash
by Cid-McConroy
Summary: Have a person every seen a change from one era to the next? The answer is yes, but for Dash Brenton it wasn't growing in to old age. Now he is in completely different age from which he was born in. Now he is forced in to a world in which every thing has changed. How will he survive in this new age, and will he earn his freedom to live a life of his choosing? On Hiatus.
1. Chapter 1

**It began with a bang.**

Dash Brenton lifted his head and opened his eyes to an empty classroom. The room was filled with light from the windows that glowed a bright orange from the setting sun. He had fallen asleep during last period, again. Stuck to the side of his face was a note on the pages covered in class that he missed. The note was from the teacher, who had long given up on trying to wake him when he falls asleep. Despite him falling asleep during last period, and staying asleep until the sun goes down, he was an excellent student. He grades where A average, thanks to make up tests that he takes over the weeks ends. Dash let out a giant yawn as he stretched, kicking away from the desk. This caused the chair to skid in to the desk behind him that acted like a stopper.

"Man why am I all ways so tired after I wake up?" Dash said as he scratched his sandy brown hair.

The mop that was considered his hair flopped down around his red, hazel, eyes covering them as if he was a sheep dog. His shirt was a white button up with long sleeves. Around that he wore a red vest that was unbutton and possibly a size to big for him. His pants color was white with red flames encircling the bottom of each leg. Most of the time he was called an anime nut for the way he dressed. That was not the case since his parents where the ones obsessed with those shows. Since his parents were obsessed the only clothes bought for him where goofy looking. He did the best he could with what he had and was able to create a unique look from it. He stood, grabbing his bag in the process. He slung the single strap around his shoulders and walked out of the classroom, heading for the front doors of the school.

* * *

He pulled open the door leading out of the school and stepped out in to the world once more. Once he was fully out of the school and the door closed behind him he leaned back just as a brick flew past his face. Since he dressed weird the local punks would have liked to make fun of him, but another thing about having parents obsessed with show not based in reality; he was also made to take martial art lessons.

"Your going down to day, Brenton." One of the three group leaders said pointing a bat at him.

Dash looked at thirty plus people that wanted his blood to decorate that sidewalk. There were about three different groups he guessed by looking at the colors that they wore. He gave out a sigh since this was not what he wished to see after waking up from a very long nap.

* * *

(Ten minutes later.)

Dash stretched again and gave out another yawn as he walked down a back alley way from the school. In front of the school were about thirty people all beat up and unconscious. He thought about how easy it was for him to make the three groups turn on each other. Then once they whittled down to about ten or so he made his move. It was easy for him, with a few well-placed leg sweeps, drop kicks, and roundhouse kicks. All he really wanted to do was go home and finish his homework then go to sleep.

As Dash walked spinning his bag around him, he turned a corner to another alley came face to face with something that was beyond reality.

"I thought that your kind was just a-" Dash's words were cut short by a sudden burst of white flames. He picked him self up and looked around. The world had turned a shade of grey, and on the ground was his pack that he had dropped. He looked over at the wall where the white flame came from and nothing was there, but on the other side of the ally was a blacken smudge on a wall that was once his body.

* * *

**Just hanging out.**

Dash was sitting crossed legged as he waited for the kids to arrive. He slowly drifted up until the chain that bound him to the wall stopped him from floating any higher. He was dead and instead of him going to an after life he was stuck chained to a wall. Nice thing about being a spirit was you could float anywhere and pass through solid objects. He didn't need to eat, sleep, homework, or anything really. The only down side was that he could not move no more then fifty feet from the stop that he died. There was a bright side since he was famous or at least his death was famous. Every year kids of the high school and junior high came to this alley in the dead of night for a test of courage. At this night was one such night in which he could enjoy what little after life he had. He created a system in which was enjoyable to scary any kid and make them run away screaming. The first step was to slowly drift down wards in which they described as a cold draft even on the warmest nights. Then once down he looked for the one who looked extremely scared and passed through them. Then he zipped through the rest of the group creating another cold draft for them. Finally if some one was brave enough to touch the stain on the wall he could send then a slight thought, which would send them running for the hills. All in all, the after life he had wasn't too bad.

* * *

Over the years his resting place was used a test of courage. Even when the building came under new management and renovated the build even a place for a tester go to spend the night as an ultimate test. Then the world became high tech and only gangs used this place as a trail of entry to their group. These gangs he would never go easy on since he hated them. The clean and beautiful view of the street was now filled with tags and liter. The once quite shopping district was all but abandon. The only people walking the streets was drifter, gangs, and punks who thought that they where all that. He just wanted it to end. Sure it had been a good when decent people lived near by, but as time changes part of the world are forgotten just like him.

* * *

Dash was sitting crossed legged as he heard a group of Jokyes coming closer to the spot in which he haunted. Alas he knew that the never would come never near this spot unless they had a new recruit with them. Even then he knew that was a hard and in between since almost know one could with stand more then three minutes in the ally let along twenty. Then again there was this one person that stayed in one place for about two hours just sitting in front of the mark he had left on the wall. He thought back and tried to remember about how long ago it was.

"I think it was about two years ago. If I remember correctly that was when the creepy, old, guy was just sitting there and was looking at the mark on the wall. He didn't even flinch even when I touched him." Dash said to him self out load since no one could even hear him.

Then something different happened to him as he was hovering up side down. The world began to recover the color that was lost in hues of grays. The next thing Dash knew was that he was floating up in the air and the next he was laying down on the ground with a world revived with color. He also saw a group of Jokers looking down at him.

"Why I am the only person I know to have the worst luck?" He said with a groan looking up in to the night sky.

* * *

**The Fist Fight, The Witch, and The Deal.**

Dash felt himself being lifted up by the collar then slammed in to an ally wall. The Joker who was holding him against the wall was wearing pure white costume. His hair was bleached white with also white face paint smeared all around his face. Around his eyes and mouth was colored black with a black teardrop underneath his right eye. The Joker's clothes were a white trench coat with a black and white pin stripe shirt underneath. He had a flower on the trench coat that most likely shoot out acid and pulled out from his pants pocket a butterfly knife. The Joker flipped open the knife with a few twist of his wrist and began to speak while he held Dash up against the wall.

"Now, now, what do we have here? What is a punk doing hear passed out in recruitment ally?" The Joker said waving the tip of the knife only a few inches from Dash's face.

Dash's mind started to do a mental check on what was happening to him. "_Lets see_:" Dash began while thinking at a rapid pace. "_I am no longer floating up in the air. The world has color to it. The chain binding me to the wall is gone. There are Jokers right in front of me, and one is pressing me against the wall_." In the end he figured out only two possible conclusions. "_I am most likely still dead and now I am in some type of hell. Or I am alive again and a group of punks are trying to intimidate me. Well, I'll just have to go with the latter on this one_." Dash decided with a nod then he was slammed in to the wall of the other side of him.

The Jokers all laughed at him as he hit some trashcans. In total there was about six of them all wearing ridicules outfits. Compare to them Dash's white shirt, red vest, and pants all looked pretty normal. From the back of the group of Jokers came a nasally voice of a female.

"Hey Johnny, lets give him the old white wash treatment." She said with a laugh.

"That's a great idea babe." Said the white clown who must be Johnny. "Lets give this little punk a lesson in trying to cross Joker territory." Johnny said as he walked towards Dash pulling out some kind of spray can. "Now lets see what kind of fun to have wi-" Johnny's words where cut short by a leg sweep Dash did as he rolled to his feet.

When a person is dead they can only do a few things: Go crazy and come back to sanity a few hundred times. Haunt any living being that comes there way, or get really good at something. Dash did all three, but he didn't really care for going crazy after the first time, so he stuck to the other two. Haunting people who walked down the ally, and practicing martial arts that where being taught in the building next to the ally.

Dash took a few jump steps backwards and stood in fighting stance that he created. He main form of attack where kicks and sweeps, but he also used close range jabs that quickly turned in to throws.

The biggest Joker stepped out from the group and pulled out some acid cream pies from a container on his back. "So does the little man want to play?" Said the giant Joker in a deep voice.

"Alright then lets play then big guy." Said Dash as he rushed forward at an extremely quick pace. As the Joker thrown the pies at him, Dash just changed his steps to a zigzag pattern and avoided the pies. The Joker tried to get another batch of pies out, but Dash was already on him. He jumped up and grabbed the Joker's back of the head and brought his knee in to the front of his face. Then Dash jabbed both hands in to the stunned Joker's side and then threw him backwards towards the rest of the Jokers. That pinned at to other underneath the giant Joker who had been K.O. under a few seconds.

The female Joker was dragging the dazed Johnny while the remaining Joker was pulling something that looked like rubber chickens. The last Joker wore a gas mask while he was skinny as a twig. The large pants that he wore looked like a sumo would wear and it covered most of his body. He gripped the necks of the chicken at causing spikes to shoot out the around the body of the chickens. The Joker started to swing the chickens around like he was in some kind of movie. Dash backed up against the wall and waited for the Joker to come closer. He waited until the Joker was in striking range then he jumped up and pushed his feet against the wall to lunch off it. Since the Joker was spinning around in a vertical direction it was hard to change course to hit Dash. As Dash passed over the Jokers head, he adjusted his leg so that he would knee him in the faces. Little to Dash's knowledge, he was about to do a feat that was closer to superhuman or a splicer ability. He flipped in the air so that his feet landed on the wall opposite from where he lunched then bend at the knees and lunched at the Joker again. As he flew towards the Joker his body twisted in the air bringing his feet in front of him. This hit the mark forcing the Joker in to the wall knocking him out just like the giant he had defeated earlier.

He stepped out of the ally looking for the other two that had escaped while he finished up with their comrades. There was no one in sight, but the air began to move as a hover vehicle came down to the street. Despite him being dead he wasn't ignorant to the world a round him, so at least he knew that there was hover-cars flying around the city. The car was different from most since it was more of a limo then a car. The white color of the vehicle was out of place in the forgotten and discarded part of the city. Once the limo settled on the ground a man wearing a butler's uniform stepped out and opened a door. From in side came a female voice that for some reason he couldn't refuses.

"Please step in side Dash Brenton." Said the voice that was almost like honey.

Wordlessly Dash stepped in to the vehicle and took a seat. Behind him the driver closed the door. Shortly after the limo began to move into the air and head towards the neon glow of the city. The woman sat on the other side of the limo with a glass of wine in her hand and a snake around her shoulders. She wore an emerald green dress that flowed around her body. The green was off set by her deep purple hair that was tied neatly into a bun.

"It is best for me to explain who I am first." The women said in her smooth voice. "I am the immortal sorceress Circe, and I was the one who brought you back to life." Circe said in a smug tone of voice.

"So, I take it there is a catch then?" Dash asked with politeness that bored an extreme of almost servitude.

"What make you say that child?" Circe said while looking at the spinning wine in the glass.

"Well for one then thing Lady Circe, I have been around long enough to know that there is always a catch. Two, I bet it is a real pain to bring some one back to life, and three I just called you Lady Circe instead of ma'am." Replied Dash in the same politeness and a great amount of intelligence.

"Oh my, you quite a find boy." Circe said with a laugh as she placed the wine flass next to her. "Since you have a firm grasp of the unseen I shall get straight to the point. I need a agent, if you will, to find and eliminate a target here in Noe-Gothem." She said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"And the reason you chose some one like me was because I wouldn't be linked back to you, Lady Circe?" Dash said looking at her blanking behind the mops of hair.

"You are surprisingly sharp boy." Circe almost said it as a compliant, but her tone still carried the weight of superiority. "I do need a person who can not be traced back to me so easily, since I wish to keep myself on the belief that I died. In return for your services rendered unto me, I shall give you a new life in which to live. Also for completing this mission I shall give you the choice to accept any future missions I might have for you, or you could just lead a new peaceful life." As she spoke she rested her head on top of her hand with a look of unconcerned.

Dash thought for a second about what might happen. _It seems that she is hiding something. _He thought with a mental processing of a detective. _Wait, that's wrong, she just doesn't care what happens if I say yes or no. I have a feeling that I wasn't the first and if I say no I won't be the last._

"Very well then Lady Circe, I shall work for you to complete this mission." Dash's body straightens up as he spoke giving Circe an answer that wouldn't get him killed.

"Pleased to hear reason from you boy." Circe said with a fake smile that gave the cabin a chilled feeling. "Once we return you shall start to train to learn understand your new abilities." With those words the in side of the limo was completely silent until the ride ended.


	2. Chapter 2

**Blood, Sweat, and a Face full of Dirt.**

Limo traveled through uptown then stopped at the top floor of a skyscraper. A trap door at the top of the building opened letting the limo slip down into a parking area. Once the limo had landed Dash exited the vehicle and stood by the door waiting for Circe. She exited the vehicle and headed for a door that looked plain, but had a unique feeling to it. Dash followed in step behind her with the butler also falling in step behind him. It seemed strange that the butler followed him instead of being in front of him, but at the same time, the back of his mind knew that he was in the place that was demanded by rank. This feeling whispered to him that the butler was some how lower then him in rank. Circe opened the door and stepped through to a world hidden by magic. What the room may have been like before was now lost in the amazon like jungles. Dash was going to continue following Circe until a furry hand grabbed his shoulder. He turned to see that there was a creature standing in front of him. It had the body of a gorilla, hands and feet of a bear, and the face was that of the butler.

"This way, Mr. Brenton." The butler said in a dire tone, while indicating a path that was hidden in the brush.

Dash headed down the path followed by the butler who didn't make a sound despite his large size. They entered into a clearing that held a large manor of strange creatures. All the creatures and at least one thing in common, they all had humanoid features. It seemed like all who are in the clearing were thrown in to a blender with a few animal along with them. From the group separated one that looked like a centaur.

"Brother, who is this you bring into your grove?" Said the centaur as he came to a prancing stop.

"This is the new blood, brother." The butler said with a bow to the centaur. "This is the one that the master wants to be trained in the uses of his new body and magical abilities."

The centaur looked at Dash and had a look of respect and vengeance on his face. "So this is the new project that we were assigned to." The centaur said, with slight hint of venom in his voice, to the butler while looking at Dash.

Dash stopped paying attention to the two creatures talking about thing that didn't concern him. The feeling of the jungle un-edged Dash, and it was not from that it was in a building to small. He was dead or something like it; if the structure was bigger on the inside then the outside didn't matter to him. In stead he felt out of place, similar to a reflection on two pieces of glass where one was slightly off from the other. This was a world of supernatural phenomenon; it just wasn't his world of supernatural phenomenon, which caused the nervousness to appear. His attention snapped back to the world when both creatures had finished the conversation and were looking at him. Dash looked at them absent mindedly and with a shrug of his shoulders he asked. "What?"

* * *

He had regretted saying that since only after a few minutes after he found himself running through the brushes. He felt heavy since the butler was standing on his shoulder and he felt like he was going to be crushed by the weight.

"Tell me why I am running with you on my shoulders?" Dash said huffing with each step as he ran down the path.

"In order for you to become accustom to your new body we must put it though its paces. " Replied the butler as he absent-mindedly` peeled a banana.

"And how is me carrying around five hundred pounds while running through a jungle putting me through its paces?" Dash replied as he jumped over a high tree root that was sticking out in the middle of the path.

"It's quite simple since your body is no longer human." Began the butler as he paid more attention to the banana then Dash. "Your body has qualities of animals themselves that is similar to us. Until like us however you do not take a mixture form of those animals. This training is for you to realize your powers. The power of a rhino, the speed of a cheetah, the stealth and weapon of a panther, the wisdom of a wolf, and finally the venom of a cobra. To put it simply you are not to different then a splicer."

"Yes, but how many splicers you know who had to go through the same experience as me?" Dash replied while breathing a little heavy.

"Just think of it as delayed investment." Said the butler as he through the finished banana in front of Dash path.

Dash realized something was up when the butler jumped off his back and into one of the trees. A normal banana would just trip a person if it were stepped on just right. This banana however was not normal and would stick to Dash's foot and would always be stepped on just right. At the speed Dash was going there was very little he could do since the butler jumping off made him run at a much higher speed then normal. Dash was forced to use what ever he could in order to stand up right while the banana and him moved across the jungle floor. Behind his wild sightseeing tour of the space between spaces was the butler who was directing him with one of his bear claw fingers. Dash had thought the ride had stop when he gripped a near by tree with his claws that shot out from the tips of his fingers. Despite his best effort this was to in vain since from the claws carried a venom like substance which broken down the bark of the tree continuing his joy ride.

* * *

Cruel training like those continued for another week each one as hard as the next. They ranged from: running through a jungle as logs where dropped from above while carrying eighty-pound bags of sand. Running on all four with a weight on his head pushing it down into the ground. Slipping on a banana peel while balancing on a log floating down a river, and finally fighting continuously for twenty-four hours with out rest against ten opponents at once.

Once he had finished that course of hell he moved on to a tougher course of hell. He moved on to a tougher training, learning on how to control his magic. His lessons where taught by not some creature like the others in the grove, but by an old man wearing a brown trench coat covering his face with shadows. His torso was covered in white linen bandages that wrapped around him. His hands were also wrapped in the same linen clothe but had metal clasps on his wrist that where stained black. He also wore a pair of baggy blue pants that were wrapped at the bottom with a brown leather strap that was used in addition as warping for his feet. There was no doubt that the man was old, but since he body was covered in mummy fashion style he wasn't sure if the man was mummy or a living being.

He first read over fifty book, scrolls, and stone tablets on the subject of magic. From there he spent another day in mediation on the rules, principals, and why are they set in place. His answer was that they were there in order to keep a person from getting killed. From there is was nothing but practice, practice and practice with the added benefit of the training from before thrown in to make it seem more inhumane for those who are inhuman. Once the 2.0 version of hell was finished the butler walked up to Dash who was sitting down on a fallen log that he had knocked over by throwing a guy who looked like a rhino into it.

"Mistresses Circe wishes to speak with you in her private section of the jungle." Said the butler with a bow to Dash.

"Very well, I shall go see Lady Circe immediately then." Dash said in replied as he stood up with a towel hanging down over his shoulders.

As Dash headed down the path he stopped to pat the butler on the shoulder then continued onward. A few feet afterward he landed his back for what seemed to be him tripping on something. The butler went to say something then fell to the ground with his body paralyzed from hitting a few nerve endings as he patted him on the shoulder. He jumped up and avoided a small object similar to a silver ball barring. He looked over to the butler and called out.

"Nice try, but you need to think of what your opponents need to do next."

The reason Dash did that was because he knew that the other creature did not like him. The butler had dropped the object in hopes that Dash would step on it. There was definitely some one with there face in the dirt and for once it wasn't Dash. He head down the path and waved over his shoulder at the place where they hated his guts. He walked down the path ready to move on instead of weighting in the place that he figured was hell. He walked down the path with a quick stride kicking his legs up in a hurry to get his normal life back.

* * *

**New Age, New Life, and Same style.**

Circe's private area was a structure similar to a pantheon found in Ancient Rome. The white marble pillars were decorated with green of vines that had taken root in the cracks. There was slight hint of roof from the crumbling mortar above him, but the ever blue, magic, sky shown clearly above him. As Dash entered, he saw Circe lunging on cushion eating grapes that were feed to her by a serpent like creature. Over by a corner of the ruins was a fountain that a few mermaids sat playing instruments. Dash took a slight glance at the mermaids as he walked to the center of the room. They wore a white toga that hid their finned feet and legs. They had long hair in shades of blacks, blonds, reds, and browns. Around the hair were copper colored bands that held their hair in place. Their hands simmered blue, green, and red from the patches of scales that covered them. As they played they sung beautiful song that would capture the heart of a mortal man. Thankful due to his training he knew that the mermaids where in fact Sirens, the ancient race of humanoid monsters that lead sailors to their doom.

"You called for me Lady Circe?" Dash said with a bow as he stood before her.

"Yes I did Dash." She replied absent-mindedly as if Dash wasn't there. "Now that your training is finished you shall enter Gotham city and locate a former follower of mine. " With a wave of her hand she motioned the serpent like creature forward to give Dash a packet. The reptile humanoid waddled forwarded and handed Dash a data pad with information concerning his target. Even though dash was out of touch with existence for some years he gained a brief crash course on the technology of this age. He flipped through the pad see that his target is some where in Gotham and that traces of his power where found in a Jokers prank known as white wash. He finished his brief glance through the pad and turned to Circe.

"Is that all Lady Circe?" He asked respectfully.

"No, that is not all." Said Circe as she now turned her full attention on to him. "As you may recall there are certain parties that wish to keep in the dark of my continue existence. In short, after you leave this building we shall cut all ties with you. We will continue to be in touch via outside sources and transfers of credits from unconnected companies. You shall be given a place to live from one of these companies along with other necessities needed. On top of that you shall be sent to a place in which rumors and persecution breed at a rapid pace. But first," She said with a snap of her finger. "You need some work clothes."

Little did Dash notice that the music had stopped form the Sirens. Around him the Sirens begin to circle holding a type of magic in their hands that glowed a white with a blue hue.

"Now girls if you would please give him some working clothes." Circe said lounging on her cushions.

As the Sirens circled him they let the glow of magic wash over him. The magic forced his clothes to change form. At first they changed form of a classic super hero getup. It was white and red while Dash felt that he was forced in to a rubber glove.

Circe glanced at the suit and shook her head in disapproval. "No, that will never do." Circe said with a slight of disgust in her voice. "It's to old fashion we need something more original then that."

This continued a pattern of displeasure for all the clothing, suits, and armors that were forced around Dash's body. The costumes he found himself in ranged from: a cowboy suit, a hooded cape with the classic super hero look, one with out the hood, an animal fur costume, and a armor that could only move with a burst of flames from his magic.

After three hours had past Circe left to tend to a matter leaving Dash and the Sirens behind. The Sirens were exhausted and still could not find a match for Circe option. Dash had been watching Circe reaction with each piece of clothing he tried on. After three hours he now had a rough idea on what Circe would agree to. He turned to the Sirens who were resting on some benches and began to explain the idea that might free them from this tiring job.

Once Circe entered the room and was in her normal lunging position she command the continuation in the search for Dash's work clothes. The Sirens began to move around Dash once more changing the fabric to metal as the new clothing took shape. As the Sirens stepped back Dash was wearing a metal like armor that resembled roman armor. The main body color was a deep crimson red with gold trim along the edges. His gauntlets covered his hands and allowed his claws to slip through. His boots and hand covers also looked similar to that of a giant cat. Finally was the mask he wore on his head. The mask's three points were to change the focus making him have a more wolf like appearance. His brown hair that is normally covering his eyes was pointed back in to two points. The hair color changed to a brilliant red with strips of blond that held a golden shine. His eye to the viewer looked white given him an extra detail for people to remember him by and not when he is with out it.

Circe looked at Dash with an inquiry look. She sat there and gave a long a dramatic pause before saying that she was pleased.

"Now Dash Brenton, I shall give you your codename. From today on whenever you wear that armor you shall be known as Thalássios Fo̱tiá. Do you under stand this Dash?" Circe asked in a almost serious, but still annoyed tone.

"Yes, Lady Circe." Dash replied with a bow to her.

"Very well then, this ring I am going to give you will allow your costume to appear at will." With a way of her hand she sent the serpent to give the ring to Dash. "Now you shall take your leave from this building and find the traitor and remove him from the picture. I shall give you a seal to place on him which would work as well as killing him." With those words the serpent also produce a piece of paper with runes around the edge of a circle. "One last thing before you go my agent." Circe said with a pause. "Your ring will also direct you to location that might lead you to your target. Now you will take your leave." Circe snapped of her fingers, which created a smoke to form up around Dash. Once the smoke had disappeared he found himself inside an apartment room. On the table there was a note that read. "Welcome to your new life Dash Brenton, don't forget you have school in the morning."

* * *

**First Day On The Jobs.**

Dash spent the last few hours of the night sleeping before it turned to dawn and he would have to head out for school. His alarm clock went off telling him that he needs to get up or he will be late. Dash smashed the clock with he new found strength and rolled out of his bed. He was somewhat tired, but the day had only just begun. Dash put on the same style of clothing that he wore when he was incinerated almost sixty years ago. He grabbed a sandwich from the refrigerator and walked out of his single bedroom apartment. It was nice for a single person; it had a fully stocked kitchen, a bathroom, and living room with a couch and TV. All and all, it was perfect for some one like him.

He had to take one of the cities monorails to get to school on time. The place was named Hamilton Hill High School. Dash was expecting the normal experience that a person could find in any high school. Jocks, Nerds, Geeks, Preps, and a few other groups could of formed while he was gone for sixty years. He also knew that he wasn't going to fit in since he saw the world through at least two different views. That didn't matter know since he was alive again even though the person holding his leash was a one of the greatest super villains of her time. That did not make him feel any better. Well compared to that high school should at least be a breeze.

* * *

Dash walked through the front doors and ducked right as a football went passing over his head. Another person caught the ball and threw it back to the first person.

"_Not even a five minutes and I am already going to have my first run ins with the jocks." _Dash thought to himself as a jock with red hair and wear a number seven on his shirt through the ball once more. Dash lifted up his arm and grabbed the ball from the air. "Yo, Jocks." Dash said in a load tone so that he could be heard by the jocks who where throwing the ball. "Don't go throwing something that can hurt someone."

The Jocks looked at him like he was a ghost or something since they where rarely interrupted in this kind of manor. The one jock walked up to him and pointed to the large green number seven on his shirt.

"Do you know who I am?" Barged the jock.

"No I do not." Dash replied unimpressed by the jock's rash behavior.

"Well then I'll tell ya. The name is Nelson Nash, the greatest athlete in this school." Nelson boosted in his arrogance.

"Well, good for you. Now if you don't mind I need to find my classes." Dash said as he pushed Nelson out of the way while forcing the football in his chest.

"Why I might have to teach you a lesson in respect." Said Nelson dropping the football while he reached out to grab Dash's shoulder.

"Easy there Nelson." Said a figure that had just entered the scene and was grabbing Nelsons's hand. "Acting this way early in the morning is so unschway. Besides, you wouldn't want to be causing a scene that would get you kicked off the team before the game on the week end."

"Get you hand off of me McGinnis." Nelson said pulling his hand back then pushed Terry to the side. "We'll settle this latter new kid." Nelson said as he tried to pass by while sticking out his shoulder. Normally comparing sizes a person would think that a thin guy like Dash would be run over by some one like Nelson Nash. That would be turn in most cases, but Dash has a strength that can be described as a rhino charging through a brick wall. As Nelson pasted by he felt his shoulder crash into the thin Dash. If Nelson didn't move he might have bruised his shoulder against the unmoving wall of Dash.

"Sorry about the raging bull over there." Said Terry who was holding his hand out to Dash. "The name is Terry McGinnis, and I have to say it was pretty brave of you to stand up to Nelson Nash."

"Dash Brenton, and I didn't get along with the jocks in my old school to, so I am used to it." Dash said as he shook Terry's hand.

"Well, my advice to you is to steer clear of them if you don't want to end up as gym paste." Terry stated as they began to walk down the hall.

"Dually noted." Replied Dash with a shrug. To him it didn't matter since he had fought of tougher looking people and also learned more then a few dirty tricks in his time at the wall.

"Well this is my stop." Dash indicated as he stopped at the first class room they came to.

"Alright then, I'll catch you later." Terry replied over his shoulder as he continued to walk down the hall.

* * *

Dash had nothing eventful happen to him during class however at lunchtime it was a different story. He was in the lunch line when he noticed Dash and his group approaching from behind. They were most likely to do the old flip the lunch tray in to the face routine. He waited at the credit station before dropping his chit on the ground. He bent over and looked at Nelson, this caused them to hold their advance a few seconds letting Dash finish paying and turn around to face them. He ignored them and started to walk past them, and then Nelson went to reach out and grab his shoulder. Dash took a step to the side right before Nelson touched him making it look like Nelson shoved him by the shoulder.

"Watch it you big, lumbering, oaf." Dash exaggerated while putting a little more emphasis in to his back steps while adding this at the end. "What did your mother raise you on a trough?"

Nelson seemed a little confused at the words he used since they were uncommon in Dash's day even less now.

There was a laugh from one of the people in line. The laughter emanated from a female who had darker skin tone and wore a yellow shirt. Her hair was also a pink, she continued to laugh since she was the only one who knew what Dash's lashes where about.

"Hey Nelson, are you just going to stand there and be called a pig." She said with mocking tone at his dumb founded look.

Nelson turned to Dash with a rage building up to a volcanic eruption. "Did you just call me a pig?" Nelson asked in excusing tone.

"No, of course not since pig have a much high IQ score then you." Dash replied in the mocking tone that would drive the nail home.

Nelson lunged at Dash almost as if he was wild beast throwing out the window of their limited sanity. Dash side step Nelson creating a large gap between them. Each passes that Nelson took Dash sidestepped and cried out "Olé" while holding his lunch plate up in the air. Around the tenth pass Nelson starting to get dazed and would only be able to do one or two more charges at him. Dash position himself so that the next pass Nelson took would place him in front of a vat of an unknown food substance that Dash took for as brown gravy. Nelson charged at Dash but was once again dodged by Dash's light toes. Nelson stopped at the edge of the counter with vat lid open on the other side of the low counter edge. As Nelson turned around, with the room spinning around in his head, he saw Dash walk up to him. Dash stopped in font of him and gave out a dramatic puff up of his checks and blow out a large puff of hot air. To a normal person it was a cartoon knock out of blowing on the person, but Dash used heated the air causing Nelson to jump back into the vat with surprise. A cheer went up from those in the cafeteria for one of three reasons: One was because Nelson was humiliated; two was that they no longer had to eat the brown gravy substance; and finally was that revenge was taken out on Nelson for some of the nerds that happened to them not long ago.

* * *

Dash spent his lunch with Terry and his friends. He found out the girl who knew what he was saying to Nelson was called Max. There was also Terry's girl friend who's name was Dana. There were a few more of Terry's other friends where coming as well, but Dash didn't stick around. He had a few things that needed to be done before last period, so he left to prepare. Once last period came around he took his sit placed, a note on the teacher's desk, and pulled out a pillow and placed it in front of him. Some of the students were curious why he was doing such a thing. Dash only replay was just to wait until ten after. Once the clock hit ten after his mind automatically clocked out as his head hit the pillow. He slept until sunset and woke up to the teacher sitting at his desk. The teacher wanted to test if what he said in his note was true and not some kind of ruse to get out of class. Since Dashes body did everything that was explained in the note the teacher was less doubtful of him and let him go. Dash walked over towards the monorail stop but continued down until he reached an alley. His ring that allowed him to change in to his super hero persona was relaying directions to a warehouse in old town that was creating the chemical known as white wash. Dash made sure that no one was around living or dead before turning to his ring and bringing it up to his lips and spoke.

"I am the fire that burns in darkness, the flames shall force evil to flee into the light." Dash said to the ring. Its response was the crimson stone turned into burning red haze as his clothing changed into the red armor and mask. He taped the metal boots on the back ally wall that resounded back to him. Dash looked at the wall and took a few steps back aiming a v-line up the side of the building. Using is combination of strength and speed he ran up the side of the wall leaving small indents where a metal spikes shoot out to give him a better grip. Dash hit the rooftop and burst to his full speed racing towards the edge. He jumped of the edge created a trail of flames from his hand to increase the area of his jump landing on a build across the road that was little higher up.

"That is so rad." Dash said as he looked down at the ground far below him. Now Dash turned to the direction of old town. Old town was Gotham that didn't change with Neo-Gotham. Most of old town was run down and bordered up. The people that lived in old town were mainly homeless, runaways, and a few Jokers and other lowlifes. Bruce Wyane saved it to be a historical district of the city. Some parts of old town had already started the renovation, but most had a long wait.

* * *

Dash landed in a ruined building of an old theater that was in front of his target. His information said that the building was a warehouse, but all he saw differed from what the report said. Instead the building was an apartment building that been renovated to fit as a shipping area in the back. With that Dash headed to the top of the build via running up the side of the wall. By now the Neo-Gotham shined like a beacon against the black moonless night. Dash stocked the rooftop and found a door that was bolted shut across the door. This wasn't a problem as Dash used his claws to open the door by slicing the bolts. Little known to Dash, a joker was on the other side of the door. The Joker's jaw dropped as Dash entered through the broken door. The Joker was so shocked that he didn't have a second to call to others. Because the next second the Joker was knocked you from a kick to the head. Dash entered through the building and found himself in lab areas set up in some of the old rooms. Any Joker he found he removed with his stealth and a few well placed strikes. Dash stopped in front of a hole in the floorboards and listened to the conversation below him.

"Ya boss, they both just disappeared after that request we had received." The voice came from a Joker that he recognized as the giant from the alley. "What should we do if we happen to find them?" Said the Joker as he continued his conversation. "Understood sir." The Joker hanged up the phone and yelled up the stairs.

"_Oh, well._" Thought Dash as he jumped down on the giant Joker. Dash brought his elbow down on the back of the Joker's head knocking him out, but this altered the other thirty Jokers in the rooms near by that they where not alone. Dash ducked behind cover as flurry of laser fire came shooting into the room that he was taking cover in. He created a ball of fire and thrown it out towards the Jokers that were trying to flank him. A few more, well placed, fireballs cause the Jokers to scatter creating an opening for him to slip through. The three Jokers in his path were no better off then a lion would be to a rhino. His shoulder plow caused the Joker to be thrown into another wall as Dash ran right through it. Most of the Joker where already flee since they saw the fireballs and him running three others through a wall. Using his enhanced speed Dash was able to catch another twelve Jokers that where trying to escape. He had finished tying up the Jokers and started looking for clues when he heard a voice behind him.

"It seems that I missed the party then." Dash stopped and began search for the origin of the voice. Above him batman decloaked and dropped down to the floor.

"I don't know who you are, but you are messing with my investigation." Batman designated with a firm tone.

"Well I am afraid that you are trying to involve yourself in a world beyond your understanding Batman." Dash said with the same amount of force.

"I am afraid that you have me at a disadvantage in name, and what do you mean 'beyond my understanding.'" Terry said in a cross tone as Batman

"My name is Thalássios Fo̱tiá, and that is all I am going to tell you." Dash said as he pushed past Batman as he pocketed a small gray rock that he was looking for.

"Hold on, your not going any where until a get some answers." Terry said as he grabbed for his arm.

Dash didn't take well to being man handled by anyone. He pulled his arm away and made a move of a leg sweep on Batman. Terry landed on his back with an "Oof," and responded with his own leg sweep as he jumped to his feet. Dash fell backwards crushing the table behind him.

"Like I said your not going any where until I get some answers." Batman said with confidence as he stood over Dash in his armor.

Dash heard a voice from the ring telling him to retreat in his head so that he wouldn't be discovered. In his mind he yelled back that he could handle this, but he was cut short by the voice. He looked at Batman with a disapproving glare.

"Epacse Ym Ediug, Eralf." From his hand a bright flash of white light blinded Terry allowing Dash to escape. Dash lunged through the window off the second story and headed from rooftop, to back ally, to rooftop. He moved like a fly searching for a placed to land, never staying in one direction for long. Meanwhile back at the building Terry had started to regain his sense of sight.

"Was that one of yours to?" Terry said in pain over his suits radio to Bruce Wyane who was watching the exchange back at the cave.

"No" Replied Bruce is his normal cut and dry tone. "But, it looks like we have some training to do. Head back to the cave and I will explain to you then."

"Roger that." Terry confirmed as he shook his head trying to get the black spot from his vision gone.

"By the way Terry your mother called. She would like you to bring home milk again, but this time to remember it." Bruce said as he gave a small smirk.

Terry gave a sigh as he climb out the window and headed for the Batmobile. "_Great now comes the hard part of remembering it._" Thought Terry as he entered the Batmobile then gave another Roger that to Bruce before leave the building.


	3. Chapter 3

**Beyond Normal Understanding**

* * *

Terry jumped out of the Batmoblie creating a striking sound that echoed through the cave. He walked towards the computer scratching Ace's head as he walked by him. He leaned on the computer thumbing at the picture of Thalássios Fo̱tiá as he asked a question to Wayne.

"So, any clues on this guy?"

"Yes, but it might be a little out of grasp for you." Bruce replied as he was working on a spectral analysis on the video he pulled from the two-way video com-radio they shared.

"What, does the guy use a mixture of Barium Nitrate, or Magnesium?" Terry asked as he pulled off his mask.

"No, something much more complicated then science." Bruce indicated as he reviewed the video and stopped it right before the flash of light. "He his using something more volatile then chemicals or a meta-gene. "

"Ok, I give. What is this guy using that makes him more dangers then your old baddie Firefly?" Terry inquired as he looked over to Wayne's old gallery.

"Magic." Bruce's single word carried a large amount of weight. Unfortunately Terry did not pick up on Bruce's tone since the idea is far out there.

"Are you serious?" Terry was scoffing at the idea as he spoke.

The look Bruce gave him in turn was deafening. Terry looked at Bruce sheepishly before speaking again.

"Ok, why do you think that he uses magic?"

"Right here." Bruce said as he hit the play button that started the video. ON the screen Dash was sitting up right after he had been slammed in to the table. The recording played on as the image said "Epacse Ym Ediug, Eralf." Then the flash of light appeared causing Terry to squint at the screen.

"Now watch what happens when I play it in reverse." As Bruce spoke he was already setting the video to play in reverse. The video played backwards as the flash vanished in reverse. The words changed from some kind of babble to English. "Flare Guide My Escape."

"What does speaking backwards have to do with magic?" Terry asked as Bruce turned off the video.

"Back when I was in the league one of their foremost experts on magic was Zatanna. In order for her magic to work she needed to speak the spells backwards." Bruce gave his explanation as walked over to a storage cabinet. From the cabinet he pulled out two metal knuckles that where shaped in the common form of bats. He also pulled out a pouch that could fit the knuckles and attachment for Terry's suit.

"What are those exactly?" Terry ask curiously as he picked up the simple weapons.

"They are some of my old anti magic gear. It is made out of Nth metal the same metal found in Hawkgirl's mace." Bruce replied in is normal tone.

"You mean Shayera Hol? One of the original league members like you?" Terry inquired as he gripped them tightly in his hand.

"Yes." Bruce answered in his normal cut and dire tone that ended most paths of questions anyone would have. "Now activate them by switching the pressure plates behind the middle and picky finger grips."

Terry did as he was instructed and went to activate the knuckles by placing pressure on the switches.

"Also, watch out for the feed back shock when they are activated." Bruce added as a side note right as Terry activated them.

The pain wasn't intense but it was enough to send a chill up Terry's spine. Around his hands and lower arm it felt like some one was sticking small pins all around his arms. After two seconds the feeling had all but dissipated leaving only a small reminder around where he griped the weapon.

"What are these exactly?" Terry asked again this time with worry in his voice.

"You have nothing to worry about Terry. The feeling comes from the energy displacement zone around your hands. It is completely safe." Bruce said to assure Terry that the weapon wasn't going to harm him. "All you have to do is keep that device active for about an hour. This will help you the next time you activate it."

"Is that what you meant by training earlier?" Terry asked suspiciously.

"Yes," Bruce replied in his normal tone. "But if you want, I can add to it. I am sure that there are some coal lying around here." Bruce's words almost bounced of the walls with impending glee as he walked towards the stairs with a smirk.

"I am fine with these." Terry's words were almost filled with impending fear of whatever Bruce had planned

"Good once your done with that hour go home and get some rest. Also don't forget the milk for your mother." Bruce said as he gave the instructions to Terry while he headed up the stair leavening the Bat cave.

"Understood." Terry replied as he practiced some punches with the activated devices.

* * *

Dash entered his apartment annoyed at his sudden retreat from his encounter with Batman. He climbed up through the window that was near the top floor. He was already civilian clothing as his feet hit the floor with a flash of fire around his body. He stormed out of the bedroom and out into the living room. He threw the ring on the coffee table and sat down across from the ring. A few seconds later a image of a Siren appeared floating above the ring.

"Time for the debrief Agent Brenton." The Siren said in a clam voice. "Early this evening you where sent to infiltrate and locate some clues to the location of the target, but before you finished a investigation Batman appeared up."

"And I was forced to retreat." Dash rashly interrupted the Siren before she could finish a review of the mission. "You think we could move on to what I found instead?" From his pocket he pulled out a palm sized gray rock and placed it on the table.

The Siren gave a slight cough before answering his question. "I suppose that is alright since you have the memory graved fresh in your mind."

"Alright then," Dash said in full force tone of moving onwards. "From what I found in the warehouse was multiple lab set up being run by the Jokers. There was only one item their that contained traces of the target's magic energy. The rock seems to be made out of quartz, which holds the energy and properties of the magic. A brief examination of the stone on the way back here found some kind of paralyzing magic. I believe that ability is found in the new Joker gag White Wash, and that building was a processing plant for it."

"I'll bring the stone back to our main HQ to begin analyzing that you retrieved." The Siren said as the stone was transported back to the HQ in a puff of smoke. "Since you confirmed the existence of these stones we now have a new mission for you. We have found a black market deal whose latest addition to his stock are stones that are paralyzing in effect. There is a high chance that the stones he sells and this one are related. We need you to collect information from him, but we also want him kept alive, even though he works in the black-market. Despite his bad connections, in the area of magic, he is a gray area and his help has saved many people in the past."

"Understood." Dash responded back in a military tone.

"Good get some rest and tomorrow we shall send you the information." With that the illusion of his operator disappeared leaving a haze of where the image stood.

Dash picked up the ring placing back on his middle finger, and began rubbing the red stone in between his and finger. He frustration was out of control because he was beginning moved around like a puppet. If he ever wanted a life that resembled normal he needed to work for them and jump ever time they said jump. He walked over to the open bedroom window and sat on the edge that overlooked the city of night. Around him the lights glowed giving magic to a time when others would be quite. He looked over at the clock seeing the blue glow with steady numbers of 12:51. He didn't need much sleep after spending around five hours earlier in a almost comatose state. His new body also wanted to move and stalk the bustling city in the dead of night. This was probably the scariest feeling he had. It was the silent reminder that he was never going to have normal life that was promised to him. He looked down the window and jumped the two hundred feet to the ground. His mind free with feeling normal of that this is who he was now. A monster in human form unbound by the world of human laws. A creature that for now fought for his freedom in a cause that he could put some faith in since it was fighting the good fight on the right side of the law. His feet hit the ground while his mind still wondered letting his instinct guide his path.

* * *

He wondered for an hour when he happened upon a dark alley from the roof. The skyline he knew all to well, the alley in which he had been killed. Off in the distance heard a sound common of late in the city that never slept. The Jokers were making another recruitment run on his grave. Since he was alive there was something that he could now do about the indecency he had felt for years. There were hollers, yips and yells from the group of twenty that walked in a ramble to the ally. Down be low he heard the leader of the group telling about the alley's past, about his past and their believe that if you can over come a goody two shoe from the past you can beat them in the present. From the group five candidates spilt off and walked into the alley as if the world was their oyster. When one of the Joker candidates was about to touch the stain on the wall that was Dash, he jumped down in front of them.

"The person who had rest there does not like you defiling his grave." His voice was colder then the grave and indicted the danger if they continued. The group of five where confused while the one leading the group was the guy who swung the chickens around like nunchuks.

"That's the bastard that beat up Johnny and us. Get him!" The size challenged joker screamed.

It was to late for candidates when they started to charge Dash. He had already thrown three kicks at the chest of the closest candidates sending them flying backwards into the rest of the group. The last two he grabbed and thrown them after the three he just kicked. The group of Jokers where stopped as they tried to get people off them. Once they all where standing and ready to charge again they stopped as they saw a frightful sight. Dash had grabbed a dumpster and crushed the metal in his grip. He lifted the dumpster over his shoulder and throw it at the group of Jokers. They scatter as cockroaches flee from a light.

"Never come back here again." Dash roared after the fleeing Jokers. He looked at the fleeing group then he knew that they would not be returning for a while. He looked at his watch seeing the time was already three o'clock and decided to head back. Later on his actions that where preformed there that night would keep Jokers or other gangs from returning. This would let his former resting point to never be disturbed by gangs ever again.


End file.
